Ang Mo Kio residents get new 4km cycling path as part of town’s makeover

SINGAPORE — A seamless journey, either on foot or on bicycles, awaits Ang Mo Kio residents in some parts of the sprawling housing estate, thanks to the completion of the first phase of efforts to turn it into a model town for walking and cycling.

Featuring a 4km cycling path looping around Ang Mo Kio Avenues 1, 3 and 8, the first phase of the makeover — unveiled in December 2014 — was launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is also a Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, on Saturday morning (July 9).

For instance, a 1km section of the cycling path, dubbed the first phase of the Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Linear Park, allows cyclists and pedestrians seamless and safe connectivity from the Ang Mo Kio MRT station to the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

Features along the linear park include Singapore’s first large outdoor terrarium.

Measuring 4m in length, 2m in breadth and 2.5m in height, the terrarium showcases a microcosm of a rainforest environment, with plants that are adapted for growth under low light conditions, including the nepenthes rafflesiana, also known as the Raffles pitcher plant.

Complementing the terrarium, which cost about S$30,000 to set up, is an augmented-reality app piloted by a group of ITE College Central students. While still in its prototype stage, the app allows users to witness effects such as the Raffles pitcher plant coming alive. 

Two more terrariums are planned for the linear park. 

Cyclists and pedestrians can also stop to appreciate three works of art, by Taiwan-born freelance designer Zoe Lin, on columns under the viaduct. 

Drawing from three well-known children’s tales — Alice in Wonderland, The Crow and the Pitcher, and Jack and the Beanstalk — the murals put various spins on the design of bottles.

Ms Lin, 51, who previously lived in Ang Mo Kio for a year and a half, said she had a “special attachment” to the viaduct, where she took shelter from the pouring rain on one occasion. 

“I hope these three columns can provide them (visitors) with positive and encouraging messages and a cheerful mind for everyday life,” she added.

Other features of the first phase include the cycling path being marked out in a distinctive red hue — a first for a town here.

Bicycle wheeling ramps installed along staircases leading to the cycling path also make for a more comfortable ride, obviating the need to lift bicycles while climbing or descending staircases.

More space has also been set aside for walking and cycling, with a slip road at the junction between Avenues 1 and 2 reclaimed to allow more space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Bus stops have also been designated as pedestrian-priority zones, with cycling paths going behind bus stops to cut interaction between cyclists and pedestrians, and the zones featuring rumble strips to remind cyclists to slow down. 

The second phase of works — slated for completion in 2019 — will see an additional 16km-long cycling path, to form a cycling path network totalling 20km.

This includes a 1.6km cycling and walking corridor linking the Ang Mo Kio and Yio Chu Kang MRT stops, which together with the first phase linking the Ang Mo Kio MRT station and the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, forms the Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Linear Park.

The linear park will be connected to existing park connectors along the Central Urban Loop, paving the way for cyclists to travel from Yio Chu Kang MRT station to the Marina Bay area. It will also feature a play and fitness area and community gardening plots when ready. 

Running alongside the MRT viaduct, an elevated walking and cycling path allowing residents to walk and cycle to the Ang Mo Kio MRT station will also be constructed. 

In addition, the Ang Mo Kio cycling network will be linked to the North-South Corridor, allowing cyclists to travel from Ang Mo Kio to the heart of the city.

As part of efforts to make cycling an option for first- and last-mile connectivity — taking commuters from their homes to MRT stations, for instance — the cycling path will also be integrated with the Mayflower and Lentor stations on the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line. 

Also in the works are plans to reclaim road space along Ang Mo Kio Street 44 to create more room for cyclists and pedestrians. 

When completed in 2019, the cycling path network in Ang Mo Kio will be the longest in any residential town, with every home in the town within a five-minute walking distance of the nearest cycling path.